Segmented Fastening Element for Vehicle Trim
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fastening assemblies for vehicle interior trim parts face challenges in securely attaching and easily detaching add-on parts from vehicle body components, particularly in ensuring reliable fastening and easy dismantling during repairs and crashes.
Innovation Solution
A fastening assembly with independent first and second latching elements on the fastening element, allowing separate attachment to the add-on part and body component, which can be individually adapted for pull-off forces, and featuring offset latching elements to prevent mutual influence and facilitate secure and easy detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate independent latching elements are used for attaching the fastening element to the add-on part and body component, then the reliability of connection is improved and mutual influencing is prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fastening element is divided into multiple independent latching elements (first latching elements for the add-on part and second latching elements for the body component). These segmented latching elements operate independently, preventing mutual interference while maintaining reliable connections to both components separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The latching elements are arranged on different circumferential positions of the fastening element. This spatial distribution in the circumferential dimension ensures that the latching elements do not interfere with each other during operation, while still achieving reliable fastening to both the add-on part and body component.
2Strength
If the fastening element is designed to securely fasten the trim part to the vehicle body, then the strength and safety are improved, but the ease of dismantling for repairs deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The latching elements are designed with resilient mounting that allows them to be dynamically activated during assembly and deactivated during dismantling. This dynamic behavior enables strong fastening during normal operation while allowing easy release when needed for repairs or safety reasons.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented latching elements can be individually activated or deactivated. During normal operation, both first and second latching elements engage to provide strong fastening. During dismantling, the latching elements can be selectively released, enabling controlled and easy removal without requiring complete destruction of the fastening mechanism.
3Manufacturing precision
If latching elements are positioned offset from one another in the circumferential direction, then mutual influencing is prevented and positioning accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The latching elements are positioned asymmetrically at different circumferential locations on the fastening element rather than symmetrically. This asymmetric arrangement naturally prevents mutual interference during operation while the offset positions can be directly formed during manufacturing, reducing the need for additional precision adjustment steps.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The assembly (10) has a fastening element (12) fastened to an attachment part i.e. covering part, in a pre-assembling position and fastened to a body component in a final-assembly position. A locking element (14) co-operates with the fastening element, and is fixed in a locking position of the fastening element in the final-assembly position. The fastening element includes two resting elements, where one of the resting elements is rested on the attachment part and another resting element is rested on the body component.